It must commend itself to their judgment, by what they perceive, as sincere. It must be consistent; for a want of uniformity, however earnest it may in many respects and at many times appear, will produce disgust. You must "let your light shine before them, that they seeing your good works, may glorify God." You must ever appear invested with all the beauty of a lovely example, which, silent though you be as it respects your tongue, is living eloquence. Your religion must diffuse its lustre over your whole character, and impress itself most deeply on your relation as a wife, and a mother: it must be a new motive to all that respect, and reverence, and devotedness, and meekness, which have been laid before you, and it must lead you to carry every conjugal and maternal virtue to the highest degree of perfection. It must be attended with the most profound humility, for if there be any spiritual pride, any conscious and manifest sense of superiority, any thing approaching to the pharisaic temper, which says, "stand by, I am holier than thou," any thing like contempt of your husband, as an unconverted sinner, you will excite an inveterate prejudice, not only against religion, but against yourself; religion will be hated by him for your sake, and you for religion's sake. When you venture to speak to him, on the subject of piety, it should be as remotely as possible from all lecturing, all dictation, all reproach, all conscious superiority; and with all possible tenderness, meekness, humility, and persuasive affection. Never talk to him of his state before others, and never talk

at him. Nor is it likely to accomplish the object you have in view, to weary him by continual importunity. Many defeat their own end, by an incessant introduction of the subject, and sometimes with an asperity which increases the revulsion, which its own nature is calculated, in such a mind, to produce. An occa

sional hint, and that of the most tender, respectful, and delicate kind, is all that you should attempt, and then leave your example to speak. Occasionally, you may put an instructive volume in his way, and solicit his perusal of it. Do not bring your religious friends too much about you, so as to annoy him; especially, keep away as much as possible, any that may have a less portion of discretion than the rest; and confine yourself to the more judicious and best informed. Never rudely interfere with his pursuits, his reading, or his company, although they may not be what you can cordially approve. Till he is enlightened from above, he will not see the evil of these things, and to attempt to interrupt him, in any other way, than by the mildest and most respectful expostulation, will only do harm. Should he wish to draw you from the high pursuit of eternal life, you are not, of course, in this case, to yield to his pursuasion, nor in any thing to concede, where your conscience is decidedly concerned in the matter. You must be firm, but mild. One concession granted by you, would only lead to another. But still, even in this extremity, your resistance of his attempts to interfere with your religion, must be maintained in all the meekness of wisdom, and must be at

tended with fresh efforts to please, in all things which are lawful. If such a line of conduct should subject you to reproach, anger, and persecution, a most painful and by no means an uncommon case, you must possess your soul in patience, and commit your way to Him that judgeth righteously. Many a persecuting husband, has been subdued, if not to religion, yet to kinder conduct, by the meek and uncomplaining temper of his wife.

To conclude. Let us all seek after more of the spirit of true religion,-the spirit of faith, of hope, of prayer: a faith, that really believes the word of God, and looketh habitually to the cross of Christ by which we obtain salvation, and to the eternal world where we shall fully and for ever enjoy it : a hope that lives in the expectation and desire of glory, honour, immortality, and eternal life: and a spirit of prayer which leads us daily and hourly to the throne of divine grace, for all that aid of the Holy Ghost, which we need, not only for the duties that refer to our relations to another world, but for those which devolve upon us, in consequence of our relations in this. "Godliness is profitable for all things, having the promise of the life that now is, as well as of that which is to come." The same principle of divine grace which unites us to God, will bind us closer to each other. Religion contains in it, not only the seeds of immortal virtues, but of such as are mortal: not only the germs of excellencies which are to flourish in the temple of heaven, but which grow up in the house of our pilgrimage upon

earth, to enliven with their beauty, and to refresh with their fragrance, the domestic circle. A good christian cannot be a bad husband, or father; and other things being equal, he who has most piety, will shine most in all the relations of life. A bible placed between man and wife as the basis of their union, the rule of their conduct, and the model of their spirit, will make up many a difference, comfort them under many a eross, guide them in many a strait, wherein flesh and blood will be confounded and at a loss, support them in their last sad parting from each other, and re-unite them in the world where they shall go no more out.

"Those married pairs that live, as remembering that they must part again, and give an account how they treat themselves and each other, shall at the day of their death, be admitted to glorious espousals; and when they shall live again, be married to their Lord, and partake of his glories. All those things that now please us, shall pass from us, or we from them; but those things that concern the other life, are permanent as the numbers of eternity: and although at the resurrection, there shall be no relation of husband and wife, and no marriage shall be celebrated but the marriage of the lamb, yet then shall be remembered how men and women passed through this state, which is a type of that; and from this sacramental union, all holy pairs shall pass to the spiritual and eternal, where love shall be their portion, and joys shall crown their heads, and they shall lie in the bosom of Jesus, and in the heart of God to eternal ages." Amen.

CHAPTER III.

SOME REMARKS ON THE FORMATION OF THE MARRIAGE

UNION..

"Methinks it is a misfortune that the marriage state, which in its own nature is adapted to give us the completest happiness this life is capable of, should be so uncomfortable a one to so many as it daily proves. But the mischief generally proceeds from the unwise choice people make for themselves, and an expectation of happiness from things incapable of giving it. Nothing but the good qualities of the person beloved, can be a foundation for a love of judgment and discretion; and whoever expects happiness from any thing but virtue, wisdom, good humour, and a similitude of manners, will find themselves widely mistaken."

SPECTATOR.

THE preceding chapters make it evident, that marriage is a step of incalculable importance, and ought never to be taken without the greatest consideration and the utmost caution. If the duties of this state are so numerous and so weighty, and if the right discharge of these obligations, as well as the happiness of our whole life, and even our safety for eternity, depends, as they necessarily must do, in no small measure upon the choice we make of a husband or wife, then let reason determine, with what deliberation we should ad